1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toilet seat and, more specifically, to an auto-reversible toilet seat mounting structure, which automatically smoothly lifts the toilet seat after each use of the toilet by a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1A and 1B show a coupling device for use in an auto-reversible toilet seat mounting structure to pivotally fasten a toilet seat to a bracket at the rear side of a toilet bowl for enabling the toilet seat to be automatically returned to the vertical position after each use of the toilet by a user. The coupling device 10 is a hollow member having a front chamber 14, a rear chamber 16, a bottom chamber 18, a narrow passage 24 in fluid communication between the front chamber 14 and the rear chamber 16, a guide tube 22 connected between the rear chamber 16 and the bottom chamber 18, a throttle gate 24 set between the front chamber 14 and the bottom chamber 18, a counterweight block 22 disposed at the rear side to compensate the weight of the toilet seat. When in use, a fluid is filled in the coupling device 10. After each use of the toilet by a user, the fluid flows from the front side in each coupling device to the rear side, thereby causing the respective coupling device to lift the toilet seat. This structure of auto-reversible toilet seat mounting structure is not practical for use in the Frigid Zone because the fluid freezes when cold. Further, the coupling device tends to be damaged, causing the fluid to leak out and to contaminate the surroundings.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an auto-reversible toilet seat mounting structure that eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide an auto-reversible toilet seat mounting structure, which is free from the limitation of working temperature. It is another object of the present invention to provide an auto-reversible toilet seat mounting structure, which does not produce pollutant. It is still another object of the present invention to provide an auto-reversible toilet seat mounting structure, which has a compact size and nice outer looking.
To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the auto-reversible toilet seat mounting structure comprises a toilet seat, the toilet seat having pairs of plug holes disposed at a rear side thereof, and at least one pair of coupling devices selectively plugged into the pairs of plug holes and fastened pivotally with a bracket at the back side of a toilet bowl for enabling the toilet seat to be turned relative to the toilet bowl between a vertical position and a horizontal position and automatically returned to the vertical position after the toilet seat having been moved to the horizontal position and than released from pressure. Each coupling device comprises an inside holding space, a longitudinal partition wall longitudinally suspended in the inside holding space and obliquely downwardly extended from a rear side toward a front side and separating the inside holding space into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, a plurality of solid spherical members put in the inside holding space and movable between the upper chamber and the lower chamber, the solid spherical members each having a predetermined weight, first passage disposed at a rear side of the longitudinal partition wall between the upper chamber and the lower chamber, first door means pivoted to the first passage for enabling the steel balls to move from the lower chamber into the upper chamber and prohibiting the steel balls from passing through the first passage in direction from the upper chamber to the lower chamber, second passage disposed at a front side of the longitudinal partition wall between the upper chamber and the lower chamber, second door means adapted to close the second passage, and spring means supporting the second door means in the close position to close the second passage and adapted to open the second door means for enabling the steel balls to move through the second passage in one direct from the upper chamber to the lower chamber when compressed.